Movie Review: Mary Poppins Returns

Movie Review: Mary Poppins Returns                                                                          6-13-25

It has been 25 years since Mary Poppins arrived at Cherry Tree Lane to help open up the heart of overworking father George Banks. His children Jane and Michael are now adults struggling to keep their home during the Great Depression. If that isn’t hard enough, Michael is now a widowed father with three kids: Georgie, Annabelle, and John. In order to save their house, Jane and Michael need to search the house for their valuable deed. Meanwhile, Michael’s children discover Mary Poppins in the park as she takes the children on misadventures involving an ocean in the bathtub, a circus with anthropomorphic animals, and visiting an upside-down antique shop. Despite all this, William Wilkins, the new chairman of the local bank, doesn’t want the Banks to pay back their debt, and he’ll do whatever it does to take their home away.

Even though the story borrows lots of elements from the original, Mary Poppins Returns makes up for it with set and costume designs that recapture 1930s England perfectly, superb acting, enjoyable albeit familiar songs, a heartfelt tone that would make Roy E Disney proud, and visual effects that are just as amazing as the original.

Did I mention that Emily Blunt is perfect as Ms. Poppins?

Another thing to point out about this movie is that, for the first time since Looney Tunes: Back in Action, hand-drawn animation is blended with live-action perfectly, even if it is for just 14 minutes.

And if you're wondering, no. WDAS didn't do the 2D animation for Mary Poppins Returns: They were busy with Ralph Breaks the Internet.

If I were to make some nitpicks, as well as the movie never explaining what Jane does for work, I don’t like how Jack, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s character in the movie, doesn’t have the same amount of screen time as Mary. Jack is meant to replace Bert, Dick Van Dyke’s character in Mary Poppins. What made that movie special was not just Mary, but also Bert. Whether it was making up a song about whoever walks by, dancing with Toon penguins, or simply having a gas with Uncle Albert, Bert was just as lively as Ms. Poppins. If Dick lives to be a hundred this December, there should be a special screening of Mary Poppins, among other noteworthy films he was featured in, to celebrate.

Nether the less, I don’t know if Walt Disney would be proud of Mary Poppins Returns, but I believe Roy E Disney would.

Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5

The Animal Show- Kinkajou and Tapir Part 2

Jake: And now, let’s see what’s cooking in the kitchen with Yves St. La Roche.

(cuts to Yves in his kitchen)

Yves: Bonjour, bonjour little animals out there! Today, in honor of our birthday guest, we’ll make a cake for a tapir. Along with strawberry cake mix, we’re also gonna add grass, a water hyacinth, leaves, and soft twigs. (puts the foliage in the bowl of cake mix). Next, we add water (puts water in the bowl) and bake for twenty minutes. I promise that I’ll get the cake out at the end of the show!

(cuts back to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, all the way from South America and Southeast Asia…

Stinky: Asia.

Jake: Please welcome Ollie the tapir!

Armstrong: Quiet. She’s coming. Everyone hide!

Ollie: Hi, everyone! Where is every-

Jake, Stinky, Armstrong, and Bunnie: Surprise!

Stinky: Welcome back, Ollie!

Ollie: Oh, Stinky! Jake! Armstrong! (hugs the characters one by one) I missed all of you so much! Who’s this new face?

Jake: This is my cousin Bunnie. She’s a California golden bear!

Ollie: But isn’t that species of bear extinct?

Bunnie: Shh! Humans could be watching.

Ollie: Since I’m the guest star, can I show you clips of my family!

Stinky: We’d love to!

Ollie: Today, there are four different species of tapir. I’m a South American tapir, which looks like this.

Jake: You sure love the water.

Ollie: We tapirs love to swim! Just like elephants, we use our proboscises as a snorkel!

Stinky: It looks like you use it to grab things, too!

Ollie: Of course, Stinky. Our proboscises are prehensile, which means we use them to grab things like a finger.

Jake: Can you tell us one more cool fact about tapirs?

Ollie: Okay. We tapirs have been around for so long that humans have nicknamed us living fossils!

Stinky: Does that mean you’re super old?

Jake: Stinky!

Ollie: That’s okay, Jake. Tapirs, as a species, have been around for at least a million years. However, three of the four main tapir species are Endangered because of habitat loss.

Stinky: You mean humans have been taking your land again?

Ollie: Yes.

Stinky: Well, this looks like a job for (runs off to switch clothes) Super Skunk, dedicated to helping Endangered species! Where do tapirs live again?

Jake: South America and Southeast Asia.

Stinky: If that’s the case, I’ll use the Habitat Door to get there. It’s quicker. (runs off to the Habitat Door)

Jake: Looks like story time will be delayed today.

Ollie: Don’t worry, Jake! I’ll be your audience today!

(cuts to Bunnie and Armstrong)

Bunnie: And now it’s time for the Animal Awards! Today, the Award for Slowest Vertebrate.

Armstrong: What’s a vertebrate?

Bunnie: Any animal with a backbone. Me, you, Stinky, Jake, and many guest animals are all vertebrates! Anyway, could today’s winner be… the three-toed sloth?

Armstrong: The manatee?

Bunnie: The giant tortoise?

Armstrong: Or the slow loris?

Bunnie: And the winner is… the three-toed sloth, which only moves up to one foot per minute!

Armstrong: You mean it only moves its feet every other minute?

Bunnie: No, that means it only moves twelve inches a minute.

Armstrong: Wow, that’s slow!

(cuts back to Ollie and Jake)

Jake: Since you’re the guest, Ollie, perhaps you’d like to pick the story?

Ollie: I’d be honored to, Jake! (flips through the book) How about Kutengwa the Lonely Okapi?

Jake: Sure! “Once upon a time, there was an okapi in Central Africa named Kutengwa. That is Swahili for reclusive, meaning he preferred to live alone. One day, the other animals were worried about Kutengwa’s solitary life, so they decided to find him other animals for him to be friends with. ‘He has hooves and stripes.’ Said a starling. ‘I’ll go find a herd of zebras.’ ‘He has a long tongue.’ Said a monitor lizard. ‘I’ll go get him a chameleon. ‘He eats leaves.’ Said a monkey. ‘I’ll go find him an elephant.’ When the starling got back with the zebras, they panicked upon seeing Kutengwa, believing he’s a half striped zebra, so they stampeded away. When the monitor got back with a chameleon, the lizard just scoffed and climbed a nearby tree. When the monkey came back with the elephant, he said ‘Hey, this isn’t a circus! You lied to me!’ And the elephant walked off, which made Kutengwa’s friends sad. ‘You know, I don’t need all these other animals to be happy. I’m content being alone. But if you want, you can visit me once a day.’ The starling, monitor, and monkey apologized for what they did, and they decided to give Kutengwa a hug. The end.”

Ollie: That was a fantastic story, Jake!

Jake: Thank you! I wish Stinky were here, though.

(cut to Armstrong and Bunnie in front of the habitat door)

Bunnie: Okay, Armstrong. It’s Habitat Time, and today, we’re going to… (the habitat door opens to reveal Super Skunk come out)

Stinky: I gave those humans a mind or two! I sprayed ten who were trying to cut down a hundred trees! (runs off to find Jake)

Armstrong: So, where are we going today?

Bunnie: We’re going to the rainforests of Columbia, which I’ve been told are beautiful! (opens the door) C’mon, let’s go!

Armstrong: Let me get my umbrella, first.

This is the Choco rainforest, which happens to be the rainiest rainforest in the world!

Armstrong: How much rain?

Bunnie: About 26 feet each year!

Armstrong: Good thing I brought an umbrella.

Armstrong: We can’t have a jungle without monkeys.

Bunnie: This is a Geoffrey’s tamarin, which is native to Columbia and Panama.

Armstrong: I know what that is- a toucan!

Bunnie: You’re right, Armstrong! This is a Choco toucan, who we actually plan on having as a guest later this season!

Armstrong: Really?

Bunnie: No. It’s a Toco toucan.

Armstrong: That’s a panther!

Bunnie: Sorry Armstrong, but there’s no such thing as a panther. The actual term is either black leopard or black jaguar. They are just leopards and jaguars with black fur.

Armstrong: You mean a black jaguar could have siblings who have spots?

Bunnie: Exactly!

Armstrong: Why couldn't we use that for That’s Amazing?

Bunnie: You never asked.

Armstrong: That looks like Dullard, our cameraman!

Bunnie: Dullard is an aardvark, Armstrong. That’s a giant anteater, which is actually more related to armadillos and sloths!

Armstrong: And what are aardvarks related to?

Bunnie: Elephants, manatees, and hyraxes!

Armstrong: Nature is bonkers, sometimes.

Hey, that looks like Carlos!

Bunnie: That’s because it is Carlos! Kinkajous live in rainforests throughout South America, and even though they look like monkeys, they’re actually related to raccoons!

Armstrong: We’ve seen our five animals for the day. Can we go home now?

Bunnie: Party pooper.

(Bunnie and Armstrong leave the Choco Rainforest and return to the Animal Show studio)

Bunnie: For Habitat Time, this is Bunnie Bear.

Armstrong: And Armstrong the Chickenhawk.

Bunnie: Just back from the Choco Rainforest.

(Tizzy flies around Stinky and Jake again)

Tizzy: Quiz time!

Jake: And what’s the quiz this time?

Tizzy: Well, here it is! (cuts to the screen below)

Which of these animals DOES NOT live in the jungle? The elephant, the gorilla, the lion, or the python? Give it a think. Back in a buzz!

(Cuts to Stinky and Jake trying to answer the question)

Stinky: Trick question. They all live in the jungle!

Tizzy: Sorry, but that’s incorrect. (flies back to the previous screen) Which of these animals doesn’t live in the jungle? The answer is the lion. Even though they’re called ‘Kings of the Jungle’, lions don’t live in the jungle. They live in the Savannah. Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

Jake: Thanks for the quiz, Tizzy! Well, that’s all we have for today, and until next time… (Yves arrives with Ollie’s cake)

Yves: Here’s the cake! Bon appetit! (Stinky takes a bite, and he loves it)

Stinky: I love it, though it could use some meat.

Ollie: Let me try, Stinky. (takes a bite out of the cake, and she loves it) This is perfect!

Bunnie: Let me try! (takes a bite) Tastes great! Is that strawberry?

Yves: Oui!

Jake: Anyway, keep the world through the eyes of animals!

Author's Notes: The kinkajou babies are from a video from YouTuber Landon Scherr. Their names are Lilo and Stitch! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU7Sc0zFLs4

During the first season of The Animal Show, Armstrong was aided by a tapir named Ollie. However, when her puppeteer Karen Prell left the show, she was replaced with Bunnie Bear. During Season 3 of The Animal Show, Tizzy was phased out and replaced with Rhonda Rat, who'd ask backstage animals a question regarding or relating to the showcased animal. She'd be aided by her aardvark cameraman Dullard.

Dullard is the one holding a camera.

Stinky and Jake are gonna take a break until October, but in the meantime, I will review Mary Poppins Returns and Elio this June, Under the Boardwalk in July, The Bad Guys 2 in August, and Black Beauty in September!

The Animal Show- Kinkajou and Tapir Part 1

Stinky and Jake: Here on the Animal Show.

Here on the Animal Show.

Here on the Animal Show!

Bunnie Bear: From under the ocean, over the clouds, and around the world…

Armstrong the Chickenhawk: Here comes the wild side of wild life.

Bunnie: The Animal Show!

Armstrong: And now, let’s have a wild welcome for your furry friends-

Bunnie: Stinky and Jake!

Stinky and Jake: Now it’s The Animal Show!

Jake: Hello, all you animals out there!

Stinky: I’m Stinky.

Jake: And I’m Jake. And today, we are going to meet two animals from the jungle- the kinkajou and the tapir!

Stinky: Tapir? What’s a tapir?

Jake: Well, remember Ollie? She was a tapir.

Stinky: You mean Ollie’s a guest for today’s show?

Jake: Yes. She’s coming back after spending a few years in Brazil.

Stinky: Oh boy! If that’s the case, we need to get ready to hold a party for her!

Jake: While Stinky is getting ready to prepare a party for Ollie, here are Bunnie and Armstrong with…

Bunnie: That’s amazing! Today, we look at the world’s largest rodent!

Armstrong: Rodent?! You meant like a giant rat?

Bunnie: Yes, Armstrong. The capybara is related to rats, mice, squirrels, and hamsters.

Armstrong: That thing’s too cute to be related to rats!

Bunnie: Indeed, Armstrong. While rats and mice raid human homes, capybaras live in the rainforests of South America, and they love to swim!

Armstrong: Now, that’s something that will make you say…

Stinky and Jake: That’s amazing!

Jake: And now, from the jungles of South America…

Stinky: America.

Jake: Please welcome Carlos the Kinkajou!

Carlos: Hi, Stinky. Hi, Jake. What are the decorations for?

Stinky: Our friend Ollie the Tapir is coming over to visit, so we’re gonna plan a surprise party for her.

Carlos: Does that mean you don’t want to learn about kinkajou?

Jake: No, we do! There was never a kinkajou on the show before.

Carlos: If that’s the case, look at the screen!

Stinky: Are you a monkey or a possum?

Carlos: Neither. We kinkajous, also known as honey bears, are actually related to raccoons.

Jake: Let me guess- You are nicknamed the honey bear because you like to eat honey.

Carlos: Correct! But we also eat nectar and fruit.

Stinky: You have a tail like a monkey. Does that mean you use it to help climb trees?

Carlos: Yes. Like our neighbors the spider monkeys, we use our tails to help climb trees.

Jake: But there are predators that can fly! What if you have to avoid danger?

Carlos: We communicate to each other through barking, squeaking, whistling, and even grunting!

Jake: That’s cool!

Stinky: We’d love to talk more about kinkajous, but can you get going now? We need to prepare a party.

Jake: Stinky!

Carlos: That’s okay, Jake. I was feeling homesick, anyway. (walks off to return to Brazil)

Stinky: Was I rude?

Jake: Yes Stinky, but you do have to prepare for the party. Besides, we will see more kinkajous with…

Jake and Stinky: Baby talk!

Kinkajou baby girl: Do you know what this big creature is?

Kinkajou baby boy: I don’t know, but he’s giving out free food!

Mmm. Pear.

Kinkajou baby girl: What is that big square thing with one eye?

Camera man: Pay no attention to this man! Here’s part of a mirage.

Kinkajou baby girl: Look, a pear. Can I try some?

Kinkajou baby boy: All done! Can I have another piece?

Kinkajou baby girl: You’re such a peccary! We may be babies, but kinkajous do more than eat. Let’s climb the silly creature’s head!

Camera man: Let’s call that a wrap!

Baby kinkajou girl: What’s a wrap?

(cuts back to Stinky and Jake)

Tizzy the Bee: Tizzy here! Time for a quiz!

What animal is the closest related to the tapir? The peccary, the rhino, or the elephant? Give it a think. Back in a buzz!

(Tizzy flies back to Armstrong and Jake, who are trying to find out the answer)

Stinky: Ollie had a trunk, right? Maybe she’s related to the elephant.

Jake: Don’t be silly, Stinky. It may not look like it, but elephants don’t have hooves.

Tizzy: Well, here’s the answer! (flies back to the previous screen) Which of these animals is most related to the tapir? The answer is the rhinoceros. Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

Both rhinos and tapir are part of a group of mammals called ungulates, which includes any mammal that has hooves! Look at the feet of this Baird’s tapir…

And look at the feet of this Sumatran rhino!

Even though elephant feet look like hooves, they’re actually not hooves. They’re just regular toes like on a bear or a skunk.

Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

The Animal Show- Possum and Orangutan Part 2

 Jake: And now, let’s see what Yves St La Roche has to make for us today without his kitchen!

(cuts to a different section of the woods with Yves and some supplies)

Yves: Bonjour, little animals out there! Today, we will make a woodland salad. First, you’ll need the fixins- wood violets, stinging nettles, ramps, and my favorite, strawberries! (goes behind a log and puts out the plants) Next, you need a bowl, which I will get right now. (Yves goes to find a bowl, but the violets get eaten by a deer). Oh dear. Well, we still have the other ingredients. Next is a spoon! (goes to find a spoon, but the ramp and strawberries gets eaten by a groundhog) Oh no. That only leaves stinging nettles. Good thing only caterpillars eat this plant! (looks in the bowl, only to see four little caterpillars)

Caterpillar 1: Can we have that plant, please?

Caterpillar 2: We need the energy to become butterflies.

Caterpillar 3: Otherwise, we might get eaten by birds!

Yves: Alright. Besides, we had lunch earlier. (gives the stinging nettle to the caterpillars) You see, sometimes it’s better to give than to receive.

(cuts back to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, all the way from Indonesia, here’s Matilda the Orangutan!

Matilda: Hi, Stinky. Hi, Jake. Why are out in the woods?

Jake: Yves had a problem while making an ant dish, so we’re filming the show outside.

Matilda: Sorry to hear that. Ready to see some orangutan clips?

Stinky: Yes, please!

Wow, you sure have long arms!

Matilda: Of course, we do. That’s how we move through the treetops- brachiation!

Stinky: Brake-a-what?

Jake: That’s how monkeys and apes swing from tree to tree.

Stinky: I always thought it was just called swinging.

Matilda: While chimpanzees and gorillas live in troops, we orangutans prefer to live alone, aside from kids. There just wouldn’t be enough food to go around.

Jake: That’s a cute baby.

Matilda: Thank you. Like chimps and gorillas, we only have one baby at a time.

Jake: You’re smarter than the cat’s pajamas!

Matilda: I don’t know if cats wear human clothes, but yes. Orangutans are very smart. We even make our own tools! We make gloves out of leaves to grab durians, branches to make nests, and bigger leaves as umbrellas. Some orangutans can even use tools made by humans!

Stinky: Wow! And I can’t even ride my bike without training wheels.

Matilda: I’m in a singing mood. Can I sing a song from my cousin Lenny?

Jake: Sure! And now, here’s Matilda the Orangutan singing an old favorite with ‘The Ape Song’.

Matilda: Two three. Oh, who’s that fella way up in the tree?

He looks like a gibbon to me

The mountain gorilla looks like me

‘Cause we’re all members of one family!

He may be big or he may be small

He may be short or he may be tall

Great apes are what we are called

All for one and one for all!

Orangutans and chimpanzees

Look like you and they look like me

A family tree spreads far and wide

But please leave trees where we can hide!

Who’s that fella way up in the tree?

He looks like a siamang to me

I’m an orangutan, and he looks like me

‘Cause we’re all members of one family!

Oh yeah!

Armstrong: And now, it’s time for the Animal Awards!

Bunnie: Today’s award, the money with the longest tail! Could it be… the spider monkey?

Armstrong: The proboscis monkey?

Bunnie: The Angolan colobus monkey?

Armstrong: Or the howler monkey?

Bunnie: And the winner is… the Angolan colobus monkey, which has a tail that can reach up to 2 feet long!

Armstrong: Wow, that’s long!

Bunnie: I know. Did we ever have an episode centered around tails?

Armstrong: I’ll tell you about it during the next transition.

(cut back to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, it’s time for a story. This one is about a primate that lives in trees.

Stinky: Like a monkey?

Jake: Close. It’s a primate, but not a monkey. Let me begin. “Once upon a time, there was a slow loris named Sally. She lived in the treetops of Bangladesh and was often made fun of by the other animals for being slow. ‘You’re so slow!’ Said a frog. ‘You’ll get eaten for sure!’ ‘When a predator comes by,’ A langur added. ‘You’ll be leopard food in no time!’ Sally didn’t listen to the other animals, since she knew what to do when danger arose. One night, she noticed a palm civet climb the tree she was one. ‘I don’t know what you are,’ Said the civet. ‘But I bet you taste delicious!’ Luckily, Sally knew what to do- Spray a strong odor like a skunk. Sally sprayed the civet with a bad smell, and she leapt away. The next day, the other animals that ridiculed him were now congratulating him. ‘You may be slow,’ Said the frog. ‘But you’re also poisonous, like some cousins of mine!’ And the more of the story is, just because an animal is slow doesn’t mean it won’t survive. The end.”

Stinky: That was a good story, Jake.

(cuts to Bunnie and Armstrong at their stand)

Armstrong: Well, since the habitat door is back at the studio, and the studio is being fumigated, I guess that means we won’t have Habitat Time today.

Bunnie: No! We’re still going to have Habitat Time! Just look around you, Armstrong. When you’re in the woods, there are animals almost everywhere you look! I’ll show you. (grabs Armstrong as they exit through the right side of the screen)

When you’re in the woods, you have to look up to the trees. Many of the animals here are arboreal.

Bunnie: What?

Bunnie: That means the animals live in trees.

Armstrong: Hey look, turkeys!

Bunnie: You’re right, Armstrong. Turkeys are very common throughout North America. In fact, Benjamin Franklin wanted this bird to be America’s national bird.

Armstrong: Good thing they changed it to the bald eagle!

And that fella is a squirrel!

Bunnie: Correct, Armstrong. Even though humans may find them annoying, squirrels actually help the environment by burying extra acorns. Those acorns will eventually become saplings.

Armstrong: How about that.

Bunnie: This is a grey catbird.

Armstrong: I get the grey part and the bird part, but how did it get ‘cat’ in its name?

Bunnie: It’s called a catbird because it meows like a cat.

Armstrong: A meowing cat? What’s next? A barking turtle?

What’s an owl doing during the day? I thought they hated the sun!

Bunnie: That’s a common misconception, Armstrong. Owls don’t mind the sunlight; They’re nocturnal because they want to avoid competition with other birds.

Armstrong: Good thing I order out.

Bunnie: We could stay all day if we could, but we need to head back. But this will have to be our last animal.

Armstrong: A lizard?

Bunnie: No, it’s a spotted salamander! They may not look like it, but these guys are poisonous!

Armstrong: Poisonous? We better get going, then. (Bunnie and Armstrong head back to the campsite)

Bunnie: For Habitat Time, this is Bunnie Bear.

Armstrong: And Armstrong the Chicken Hawk.

Bunnie: Just back from the forest.

Tizzy: Tizzy here! Time for a quiz!

Which of these animals is not an ape? The mandrill, the gibbon, the chimpanzee, or the orangutan? Give it a think. Back in a buzz!

(Cuts back to Stinky and Jake, who are trying to figure out the answer)

Stinky: What’s the difference between a monkey and an ape again?

Jake: Apes don’t have tails, but monkeys do.

Stinky: If that’s the case, they’re all apes!

Tizzy: Close, but no honeycomb! Tee tee tee tee tee! The answer is the mandrill, which is a type of monkey. Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

Jake: Thanks for the quiz, Tizzy. Well, that’s all the time we have for today, and until next time, continue seeing the world through the eyes of animals!

Author's Notes: The puppet used for Peter in this episode was also used on The Muppet Show, when woodland critters performed the classic 1967 song 'For What It's Worth'.

The puppet used for Matilda was also used for Jackie the Orangutan in the Animal Show episode 'Orangutan and Potto'.

Matilda's song for this episode, 'The Ape Song', was actually reused from the Animal Show episode 'Gorilla and Rhino', except it was called The Gorilla Song. I edited the lyrics so it would be more accurate.

Animal Show | Rhino 🦏 / Gorilla 🦍 | Jim Henson Family Hub | Kids Cartoon - YouTube

In the Animal Show episode 'Honeybee and Honey Possum', Stinky and Jake had to win the Award for Best Show Hosted by Animals Especially Skunks and Polar Bears, or else they'll get eaten by the judges! I find this unusual because two of the judges, a vulture and a cape buffalo, eat either dead animals or plants.

Armstrong was right: There was an Animal Show episode about tails with 'Manatee and Lemur'. Jake felt sad that is tail is stubby compared to the guests, so Stinky decided to give him a skunk tail to make him feel better.

Jake with his skunk tail.

In the next episode, you'll learn about rainforest animals when the guests are a kinkajou and a tapir!